Few of them have accepted full Israeli citizenship, and the majority are citizens of Syria.

"The Kurdish people will no longer accept second-class citizenship in Iraq," the letter said.

"You may accept citizenship or not as you please, but in any case, you are holding up the line."

And blacks are more militant now and will not accept second-class citizenship as before.

The couple were later interned in a labor camp for the duration of the war due to their refusal to accept Soviet citizenship.

"You have one day to accept citizenship."

"And Jim has been given a day to accept citizenship or accept the consequences," he said heavily.

The only way we could get rid of the pain was to accept citizenship.

Most continue to regard themselves as Syrian citizens, with less than 10% having accepted Israeli citizenship.

When his home region was transferred to Italy in the post-war settlement, he accepted Italian citizenship.